A workbench is a sturdy table at which manual work is done. They range from simple flat surfaces to very complex designs that may be considered tools in themselves. Workbenches vary in size from tiny jewellers benches to the huge benches used by staircase makers. Almost all workbenches are rectangular in shape, often using the surface, corners and edges as flat/square and dimension standards. Design is as varied as the type of work for which the benches are used but most share these attributes:A comfortable height for working with provisions for seated or standing work
A way to fix the workpiece to the surface so that it may be worked with both hands
Provisions for mounting, storing and accessing tools
European style woodworking workbench In most instances the "end caps" and the "shoulder vise arm" are significantly thicker than is shown above. Indeed, this shoulder vice and its "arm" appear to be incomplete.
The workbench of a hobby electronics enthusiast with an oscilloscope, PC, two digital multimeters, soldering station, pocket calculator, small tools, a stabilized power supply unit and storage boxes on the wall for electronic components
A table is an item of furniture with a raised flat top and is supported most commonly by 1 to 4 legs. It is used as a surface for working at, eating from or on which to place things. Some common types of tables are the dining room tables, which are used for seated persons to eat meals; the coffee table, which is a low table used in living rooms to display items or serve refreshments; and the bedside table, which is commonly used to place an alarm clock and a lamp. There are also a range of specialized types of tables, such as drafting tables, used for doing architectural drawings, and sewing tables.
A gilded Baroque table, with a stone top (most probably marble), from the Cinquantenaire Museum (Brussels, Belgium)
Rococo writing table; 1759; lacquered oak, gilt-bronze mounts and lined with modern leather; height: 80.6 cm, width: 175.9 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
Roman dining table: mensa lunata
Large 17th-century English folding tables